A New Life Unfolded, Secrets to be Contained
by Sasu-Striker
Summary: Amiko JUST joined the ninja arts and is on Team 7. Problems arise during different missions and her Hidden Mist jutsu's are used, showing that she used to be from the Hidden Mist Village. She too has something inside her. Ying or Yang?
1. Chapter 1

Part One

I hurriedly opened the cream doors of the ninja academy's exam room. Hopefully I wasn't as late as I thought I was, like I am for almost everything now. My pace slowed when I noticed that not much had happened. I let out a sigh of relief.

Some of the students looked up at me, others just glanced and started whispering to their friends. Rolling my eyes, I finger-brushed through my extremely curly strawberry blonde hair.

As I scanned the room for a table to sit at, my eyes fell upon a boy's. Instantly he grimaced even further before looking away. His hair was black, spiked up at the back, and then his eyes were big and dark. I could instantly tell that he was pained, his eyes held a cloud of something behind them. And now I was even more curious to find out who he was. My eyes averted to the boy next to him, obviously hyper-active. He was chatting in an overly loud voice to the boy with black hair. This boy had bright yellow spiked hair, big blue eyes, and scratches on his face.

My stomach began to burn, a warning perhaps? The beast wanted something, but what?

All of a sudden some pink headed freak sped past me and positioned herself next to the sober looking boy, who now appeared to be overly annoyed now that that girl showed up. A smirk set itself on my face: sucks for him. And then I remembered something that made me groan silently to myself.

"Hey Sasuke! Can I sit here?" The boy she called Sasuke didn't answer, he just looked straightforward.

"Hey Sakura!" Sakura glared at the yellow haired boy.

I looked down at the piece of paper in my hands. 'Oh Joy.' I thought. Sakura was on my team. Then I glanced down at my paper again to see Sasuke's name written on it. And also, a boy named Naruto. At the bottom of the page it had a small description of Naruto: hyperactive, cranky, and annoying. Sighing, I walked over to the table at which Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke were sitting at. 'Guess I should join my teammates then.'

I'd gotten the paper in advance, just because I'd joined the ninja academy a week ago and was tested after shown how to do everything. There were a few quizzes, which were easy, somehow. And for me groaning about Sakura? Well, I'd seen her stalking Sasuke, a lot. She would giggle like crazy as she did this, too. And she was also very annoying when she talked on and on and on about him. It was non-stop!

I sat down next to Naruto, and started laughing, his face, Sasuke's expression, and Sakura's face looked so funny. They were all bickering and suddenly came to a halt when I laughed. Too bad, I'd wanted an argument free first experience.

They all stared at me, and I returned their wide-eyed stares back at them before looking around the room.

"What's so funny?!" Sakura half yelled her question at me, causing the whole room to stop talking, whisper, and stare.

My face slightly flushed with embarrassment, but turned to normal within seconds. I just shrugged at her. Her face was steaming red and her eyes were huge. It was actually quite funny to see how she reacted towards other people. I chuckled inside, 'I should make a book called Sakura in Her Natural Habitat.' Boy would That get her started.

Before she could go off on me again, there was a, "My mouth has been ruined!", and a , "Naruto you sick bastard!"

Both Sakura and I looked over at Naruto and Sasuke, whom were spitting everywhere and glaring at each other. I looked confused until it finally hit me, "Did they Kiss?", I asked the person Naruto was glaring at. He busted out laughing and mockingly narrowed his eyes at Naruto.

Frantically, and angrily, Naruto stated, "That guy pushed me!"

"Naruto, you make me sick,…" Sakura glared at Naruto. I just stared blankly.

"Quit yelling everyone! And Naruto sit down in your seat." , the examiner that let me come into this group was standing at the front of the room shushing us. He then told his name, Iruka-sensei, and explained who'd be in whose group and where their sensei would be meeting them.

Apparently Naruto disliked the fact that he was grouped with Sasuke, and obviously Sakura hated the fact that Naruto was in her group. I smiled to myself as I watched them all : Sasuke slumped in the middle with Naruto and Sakura on either sides banging their heads on the table and mumbling things like, 'Why?' and 'Not happening, not happening, it's just all a big nightmare.' This will be an interesting year, or couple of years.

The examiner released the groups and reminded everyone to meet their sensei's tomorrow in the cell that their group number is, which in this case is 7. As I walked out someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around to meet Naruto. His eyebrows were knit together in slight confusion as he asked, "Hey, why are you in our group? I thought there were only supposed to be three people."

My spirits turned down, and I answered dully as I looked down, "Because I got accepted into the ninja academy. I got in a week ago and passed all their tests yesterday." A small smile formed on my face. They said I was the fastest person to learn and pass so quickly, except for one person who'd left the village years ago. They didn't think I'd be fast enough to get anything right before the groups were to be picked.

Naruto raised his eyebrows. "So you got accepted into the ninja academy a week ago? But how'd they accept you? You probably don't know squat about anything." My face became serious and before I walked away I answered, "Well if I don't know squat then how'd I pass?" Naruto stood there dumbfounded.

Sighing, I shoved my hands into my short pocket, and remembered the many times my parents said that I couldn't be apart of any ninja activity or academy. They always said that something might happen or that I'd get hurt, but they did let me study what ninja's did. Every month or so I finished a book about different ninja-arts and small study guides about how to aim a kunai and hit the target. Sometimes I'd secretly spend an hour in the small clearing in the forest behind my house to practice the fingering or practice hitting the trees at certain indentations I made as the target. My parents never knew about practicing it, because I did it when they were at work.

I hid in a tree as the students followed each other out of the building. They were all chatting about their groups, and group members were heading different places to get to know each other. As soon as everyone was gone I left. But a second before I jumped away, heading for the entrance of Konoha, the sober looking boy caught my eyes again, as he sat in the dirt, watching. He was simply watching, with his hands folded and his chin rested on his thumbs, hiding his mouth.


	2. Chapter 2 training

I yawned, almost falling out of the tree as I stretched. I rubbed my eyes and leaned against the tree as my eyes caught the time on the small clock on the nearest building. Suddenly my heart beat faster as my nerves started to race. Not again! Hurriedly I rushed once again to where my cell was.

The wind rushed around my face as I jumped from tree limbs to tree limb, nearly cracking one from the amount of chakra I was using to speed me up. Our group was to be meeting in the cell at 8:30, and right now it was 9:00! Shaking my head, I reached the cell door and cautiously opened it, knowing that a consequence had to be coming from being late. But, as I walked in, I noticed that our sensei wasn't there. Guess I wasn't the only one late. And then I noticed that I was panting. The others groaned. I quickly walked in and closed the door behind me. Sakura scolded me for being late while Sasuke stared. My eyes slowly drifted to his, then he looked away glaring at the wall. I wanted to ask him what his problem was, but then the door opened.

"Ow!" A slightly deep, adult voice exclaimed.

I turned away from Sakura, who stopped in mid-sentence, to see our sensei. His hair was grey and all spiked up at the top. But the grey had been covered in white chalk from an, eraser. I swiftly moved to Naruto and whacked him on the head as I glared. That wasn't a very smart thing to do.

"Gotcha.." Naruto hesitantly said as he cowered under my glare. My dark blue eyes sharp, staring him down and giving him the message that that wasn't a smart move.

"Sorry sensei, I tried to stop him from putting that chalk eraser in the door wedge."

He chuckled, "I see we have a prankster." Naruto cheerfully nodded, forgetting my glare. Then I noticed the mask. Our sensei had a dark blue mask tied diagonally over his face, hiding his right eye, his nose, and his mouth. It was basically his entire face that was held captured by the mask. But why would he have a mask?

We all went to a spot overlooking the village. The sensei told us that we were going to introduce each other before we did any training or whatever.

"Can't you give some examples first? So that we know how to do it?" Both Naruto and Sakura pleaded. The sensei nodded.

"All right, all right, calm down. Ok. My name is Hatake, Kakashi. I don't feel like sharing with you anything about myself." He smiled. "Ok, yellow-head, your up first."

Naruto wore a glum expression for a short moment before putting on a wide smile and practically jumping out of his seat. He wiped his shoulders and exclaimed, "I am Uzamaki Naruto! My hobbies are pranks and practical jokes I guess,..-" Figures." - I love instant ramen and really like it when Iruka-sensei treats me to ramen at the Ichiraku Noodle Bar! I hate it waiting for my ramen to finish cooking, all I want to do is chow down on it, not wait for a Whole 3 minutes! -" Kakashi blankly stared and thought, 'All he thinks about is ramen,…'

" -and my dream is to become Hokage and be even better than Lord Hokage himself. Then everyone will look up to me and treat me fairly for once." Naruto was beaming. I thought it was a pretty impressive dream compared to others.

Sakura sneered. "Pshh, as if That'll happen." She folded her arms and rolled her eyes at Naruto.

Kakashi had a thoughtful look on his face, Naruto had surely surprised him and the rest of the group. Then he chuckled, "That was, interesting, Naruto." Then he turned to look at Sakura. "As for you, pinky, if you think your dream is better than why don't you go first." It wasn't a yes or no question or answer.

But she was suddenly daydreaming and oblivious to everything else happening around her. 'Wow, that was fast. But she's probably thinking about Sasuke.' I rolled my eyes and scowled at her, I reached over behind Sasuke and whacked the back of her head. Too bad her eyes weren't crossed at the moment.

She jumped and rubbed the back of her head. "What?" Kakashi looked at her expectantly. "Oh, uh,.." She paused. "I'm Haruno Sakura. My hobbies are, to uh, -" She glanced at Sasuke with a sly smile on her face. Once again, I scowled even further. This year was going to be Extremely annoying. "- my dream is to,…" her voice trailed off as Sasuke glared at her. 'Wow.'

Kakashi looked up as he sighed deeper than I thought possible. He rubbed his forehead thinking, 'Apparently girls her age only think more about boys than ninjutsu or training. I wonder how Sasuke could stand so much as to not flick her in between the eyes.'

The next person he called on was Sasuke.

"I am Uchiha Sasuke. I hate many things- " He said this and glanced at Sakura, making her cower in defeat. "- and I don't like much of anything. My hobbies are down to zero and I have sworn to avenge my clan, and kill-" Sakura gasped. I was slightly shocked, Sasuke did kind of fit the assassin description. "- someone."

Kakashi glumly looked at the sky and then to me, possibly hoping that I would share something not quite as idiotic and strange as the other three. I sighed and began my part of this 'thrilling' introduction about myself to everyone. "Ok then, I am Hikaru Amiko. I too want to avenge and kill like Mr.-I-Hate-Everything over here. My hobbies are to study and practice the ninja arts whenever I can and to master them as fast as possible. I strongly dislike preppy girls- "I glared at Sakura. " - who freak out easily and people who mope around. And what I like are my hobbies, which I've just explained so, um, you can take it from here?"

Sakura was glaring at me, Naruto was wide-eyed, and Sasuke wore the same expression as Naruto, yet still holding that glare.

"That's different, Amiko. Well today we will be doing a Survival Exercise. The exercise will test your abilities and you are all most likely to fail." Kakashi smiled under his mask. Everyone groaned. Naruto started to have a fit. "What! We already learned survival skills- " I cocked my head to the side and stated, "I didn't." Naruto looked at me like I was crazy.

Kakashi told us where to meet him for the training, then vanished in a shower of leaves and smoke. We all went home, pondering on why he told us to not eat breakfast the next day. Naruto grumbled and complained.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day I awoke to see that I was yet again late. I rushed to the place where we were to meet Kakashi-sensei for his training. My mind was filled with ideas of the techniques I might use.

I stumbled behind the others, and Sakura glared at me for being once again, late.

"Some people need to get a watch if they can't be on time." Kakashi walked around me.

'Where'd he come from? Did he get here a second after I did?' My head pounded with questions.

He silently walked around me as I watched him with a startled expression, and then leaned against one of three wide wooden poles. He then explained that we had to try and get a bell from him. By lunch, whoever hadn't gotten a bell was strapped to a pole and his/her lunch was eaten in front of them. But the thing was, if none of us got one then he would choose who'd be strapped to the pole. Naruto grumbled as Sakura groaned.

We started the training, Kakashi standing in the large grassy clearing between the dense forest,… reading? I, along with my comrades looked blankly at each other. Why would he read?

'This sensei is Weird.' , I thought. Naruto of course, charged with a battle cry of, "I will get those bells!"

Kakashi easily bypassed him while chuckling at a part in his book. Then Sasuke, Sakura, and I ran around the two (Kakashi and Naruto) and hid in separate bushes, trees, or somewhere close by each other easily watching Naruto fail at every attempt he made to get at least one bell from Kakashi.

Then Kakashi suddenly poofed around Naruto and exclaimed, "A thousand years of pain!" Sakura gasped and Sasuke widely stared at Kakashi. Kakashi shoved his finger like, halfway up Naruto's ass, shooting him up over the trees and into a small creek. A splash was overheard right after, along with one of Naruto's little rage filled fits. I shook my head, about to laugh.

Naruto grumbled as he walked into the clearing, sopping wet. It was too hard not to laugh. I had to cover my mouth with both my hands and end up choking on air.

He stopped, something caught his eye, a bell! It was just laying there! But then I noticed the small rope around it. It was a trap. I shook my head, idiot.

"Ha! I told everyone that I would get a bell. That loser Sasuke is probably hiding and waiting for Kakashi-sensei." Naruto told himself as he sped towards the tree.

Sasuke had a sign of contempt on his face as he watched Naruto, and he mumbled to himself, "He thinks everything can just come to him,…'

Sakura watched nervously as Naruto stepped in the middle of the rope and bent down to pick up the bell when all of a sudden, he flew upside down. A very thin silver rope was tied around his ankle.

'Knew it.", I thought. I think everyone was thinking just about the same thing at this point. Serves him right. Kakashi leapt out of the bushes and scolded Naruto, "You shouldn't just walk up to something when it's a sure 'give away.' As you could see, that was a trap." He smirked behind his mask at Naruto and poked him on the nose, causing Naruto to rock back and forth. "Lucky for you, I didn't make it any worse than this like it should have been. Told you that you needed a Survival Test."

Kakashi smirked in satisfaction as he picked up the bell.

Naruto had been hanging upside down so long that his face turned beet red. I started to lightly chuckle. The bushes next to me rustled and Sakura appeared. "You should keep your voice down, Kakashi-sensei might sneak up on us or something." I nodded and we looked back to watch Naruto hanging idly from the branch, but when we did get the tree in focus, we both realized he wasn't there anymore. But, Naruto caught our eyes as he jumped off a branch and step into yet Another trap. The wire took hold of his ankle, and he yelled out in surprise.

Again, Sakura and I looked at each other. "Naruto has to catch on sooner or later that he can't outwit our sensei." I told Sakura.

"Yea, I know. All he has been doing is trying over and over, wasting energy."

"And are you two doing any better?" Both of us screamed in surprise. We looked behind us at our sensei, who was showing no expression. "At least he is trying."

I bit my lip as Kakashi vanished into smoke and thought about how Sakura and I were not doing anything at all. Just watching. I sighed as Sakura left me and I turned to watch Naruto for a second longer.

Kakashi looked down at Naruto for a moment, 'What a foolish boy, to think he could surpass me.' Then, in that moment, he was hit with a shuriken. His eyes grey wide in shock, blood spewed out of his mouth and he wailed. A whizzing sound was made as he poofed into a log. My eyes grew wide for a moment after watching. But then I knew that Kakashi was hidden somewhere else and didn't actually get hit.

"It was a shadow clone!", Sasuke's voice rang low and enraged. Sakura was watching Sasuke burst into fury. Apparently he had wanted Kakashi to have been wounded. "Hello." A bored voice said. She gasped. Kakashi was behind her. She began stuttering, "H-hello." Kakashi then warned her about hiding and said to be prepared for anything that might happen when she'd least expect it. Then he moved along, leaving the startled Sakura to ponder on what she was to do to get a bell.

Meanwhile, I had been watching from a tree, to see Kakashi and where the others were hiding. I jumped down, I was going to get into the action! Then I heard a scream, high and shrill. 'Sakura' was all I had to think. I ran over to where I'd last seen her.

Sakura had screamed because Kakashi used a transformation jutsu to form into a very injured Sasuke. He was moaning in pain and his legs were twisted in unthinkable directions. His body slumped against a tree for support and blood cameo out of his mouth as he coughed it up. There were kunai and scratches all over him and his eyes were dead. Sakura had been so frightened by this that she fell to the ground hard. Her eyes were closed and she was out, she had feinted.

When I reached her location I was surprised to see a worried Sasuke. He'd thought Kakashi sensei had attacked her or something. Our eyes met and we glared at one another. Then he ran to her and knelt down next to her saying, "Sakura? ..Sakura?"

Sakura opened her eyes. "Sasuke! Oh Sasuke, I thought you were hurt!", She leapt into his arms and he shoved her away. "Yea, I'm perfectly normal." He glared at her and glanced in my direction. Sakura beamed at Sasuke, he just looked away. Then there was a clinking of bells. Kakashi!

They went in opposite directions to find Kakashi. Sasuke found Kakashi and fought him, using his clan's legendary Fireball Jutsu. And then Sasuke almost got a bell, but Kakashi somehow did a jutsu that put him underground and he pulled Sasuke under until only his head showed. Sakura passed and cried out, "Ah! The sensei got to him and now all that's left is his head!" And at that she feinted.

I walked into the clearing and stopped. Bursting out laughing, I pointed at Sasuke, who was stuck in the ground with just his head sticking out. He glared at me. I sighed and walked up to him and squatted down. "Fine you pathetic little wimp."

I stood up straight. My hands glowed with chakra buzzing around them. Sasuke's eyes were wide for a few moments with shock. I punched the ground, loosening rocks so that Sasuke could try to move and get out.

"How did you do that?" He asked me. I smirked and crossed my arms.

"Easy. Focus your chakra on your hands, then move them up to loosen the rocks so you can pull yourself out." Sasuke nodded.

Meanwhile, hiding in the bushes was none other than Kakashi. "Well, someone's got the concept. But I can't believe she's helping him." Kakashi mumbled to himself, then kept watching with partial interest.

Sasuke had finally gotten it but couldn't pull himself out. He'd been struggling for more than a few minutes. He looked up at me expectantly.

"And what now?", He asked as he glared. I rolled my eyes, braced myself, and reluctantly grabbed his hands and pulled up. He wouldn't budge. He sighed and repeatedly slammed his head on the rocks.

I sighed, I wanted to save up my own chakra and now waste it all. Hopefully she wouldn't care if I stole some of hers. My body felt like it was convulsing all over the inside around my stomach as the beasts chakra flowed into my veins. A light growl emitted from her, and I knew she wasn't happy. Oh well,…

Using her chakra, I jerked Sasuke up and he flew right out. 'Guess I used a little too much.' I thought. I almost could hear a 'You think' escape my subconscious.

I stumbled backwards, still holding onto his hands as we Both flew backwards. We both landed with an 'oomph'.

My face started to lightly heat up as I looked up at him with wide eyes. Sasuke blankly stared at me, our hands still connected. My arms were above my head, as if I were stretching and trying to touch the sky. Then I struggled to get my hands out of his grip.

"Uh,..?", I asked myself. He jumped off me.

"Sorry." He quietly said.

"Yea, well, I'm going to try and get a bell, that clock is gonna ring soon." He nodded.

Kakashi was bursting with laughter. "Well wasn't that interesting." Then he poofed out of sight.

After Sasuke had wiped all the dirt off of him, I did a whirlwind side-kick and knocked him backwards. "Sucker!"

He almost looked as if he were about to smile, but glared instead. He quickly jumped up and rushed over to me. His eyes weren't as cold as before, but his voice was still as serious as he said, "You're wasting your time."

"Am I?" I asked him. He thought he was so tuff.

And at that, I poofed into smoke, leaving Sasuke dumbfounded.

The leaves rustled and a few twigs snapped as I crawled through the bushes towards Kakashi. His back was turned, the bells were in sight, and I knew I had to do something. The only way I could use any water technique would be if I lured him over to that stream where Naruto fell into but he wouldn't follow me. I shook my head and silently crawled out.

"About time someone crawled out of hiding.", Kakashi said, turning around to face me, a kunai in his hand.


	4. Chapter 4

A couple kunai flew from my hand and I struggled a little to keep with his pace, I guess this was what it was like fighting a previous ANBU agent. He dodged my attacks easily, and moved very fluently through the trees he'd hide in, waiting for me to come so I could make an attack. And even if I made contact, a swirl of smoke enshrouded him and then poof, a log was there!

'Think smarter. '

I hadn't wanted to use any of my jutsu's but if I wanted to get a bell then I'd better use them,...

The edges of my mouth curved into a wide, dead smile. My hands formed the hand signs for a jutsu, but the next one I didn't need any hand sign for.

Large overpowering dark clouds circled above us, lightning emitted from their depths and I crossed my arms. Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed as the clouds expanded, but stayed in our range. I shook my head, now smiling a real smile, I did the jutsu right!

And then a faint mist covered us. It enveloped the area and grew thicker and thicker. It even blocked the darkness of the cloud. I began to laugh, this was going to be fun.

Kakashi gasped and jumped around as oil fell from the sky. He threw kunai and missed every time. But I knew how to find him. I shot fireballs at the oil droplets, forcing them to catch onto one another and burn their way down. Every time one hit the ground, it singed the grass and sizzled. Smoke came up from the ground from the fiery oil droplets and that made me smirk even wider.

My eyes scattered everywhere through the expanse of the mist. I could sense his chakra over to my right. Slowly, I edged my way there.

"Kakashi,.." I mocked.

"Kakashi. Come attack. I'm right here." My voice grew to a whisper and I plucked a shuriken from my leg pouch. It was half the size the regular ones were, but was just as heavy. The metal was smooth and sharp.

"You never should try and give away your position."

I jumped around and slung my shuriken towards the sound. Kakashi's eyes grew wide as it plundered towards him and he vanished. I slung the shuriken around me to put it back in my pouch once it returned to me.

The ground crackled and shook, the rumbling getting closer and closer to me. Suddenly the ground broke and I was forced to leap backwards. Kakashi was trying the hunter technique, most likely the same one that had Sasuke in the ground.

And then I began to chuckle, "You aren't seriously thinking that you can bring me down That easily." I stretched and sat down. I could hear murmurings and scuttling in different directions.

I leapt onto him and he slung me off, sending me hurtling to the ground. I exploded into water.

Kakashi scratched his head. "A water clone…"

"Yes."

He turned around and kicked, sending another water clone to saturate the tree it had hit.

I finally stood up and ran. He was closer than I thought. The mist began to lift, the raining fire began to calm down and slowly disappeared. The enveloped area became clearer, and I stood in the tree over Kakashi, sighing. He heard me and turned. As soon as he looked at me smoke swirled around me and I vanished.

I sent a series of kicks and punches, dodging his and getting closer to the bells.

My foot swung and he caught it, as he began to sling me around, I curled in and grabbed onto his mask with one hand, nearly caught a bell with another.

His eyes grew wide and he vanished.

'Whatever.' I thought.


	5. Chapter 5

The bushes rustled and I looked up warily. Sakura burst through the bushes with Sasuke at her heels. Naruto grunted, and I looked over at him and saw that he was straining against the thick ropes Kakashi put around him.

"Give it a rest Naruto, you're never gonna get out of those ropes." I sighed as I looked at Sasuke, who haughtily smirked at me. Naruto wasn't the only one tied against a pole, I was too. It was all because of me almost taking off Kakashi's mask, he took it as an offense and tied me to this pole. As for Naruto, well, he'd tried to secretly eat everyone's food. Fool.

Sakura kept a smug grin on her face. She wasn't the one stuck to the pole, I was. This would no doubt be something that she'd bug me about this year. What joy. My eyes narrowed at her as she ran over to Kakashi-sensei to get her lunch. Sasuke chuckled as he followed her. I mumbled, "Shit head" He was using this to his amusement.

As soon as they got their lunches, and Naruto and I had our lunches placed at our feet to allow the aromas waft into our nostrils, in other words, to taunt us, Kakashi walked around to position himself in front of us. He rested his hands on his hips and sighed before stating, "Now, you've all done some pretty pathetic strategies to try and get these bells -" He tapped the bells. My jaw dropped. Pathetic? Who was he calling pathetic? I had performed at least an A or B ranked jutsu. "- So don't mess up now. Because Amiko and Naruto are tied to the poles, they aren't allowed to eat. So don't give them any." And at that he vanished into a puff of smoke and leaves, But some of his words lingered behind, "Or else, you'll be failed."

An aggravated groan came from Naruto. I looked over at him. He still was struggling against the ropes. All he was doing, or had been doing, was swinging his legs around rapidly and balling his hands into fists. I rolled my eyes.

Sakura leaned up against a third pole at its edge so that it was closer to me. Her eyes scanned each rice ball or clump of ramen that she picked up with her chopsticks before slowly placing it in her mouth. She was taunting me.

"Just save it Sakura. It's not like I'm gonna die of starvation and beg you. Taunting me is just a waste of your time."

She lifted her nose in the air as she walked away to sit next to Sasuke, who almost immediately shifted away form her. "Humph!" She looked away from Sasuke.

That made me chuckle. Even Sasuke has his ways of telling her off.

All of a sudden, a very loud and long grumbling noise came from Naruto. All heads turned to him. He was still squirming and looked at Sakura with pleading eyes.

"Hey guys could you give me some? At least one rice ball?" Immediately he began drooling just at thought of it. Sasuke's face looked disgusted as he ate. Sakura just had to say something more than 'no'.

"No way! Kakashi-sensei will just fail us! But Naruto's used to that. He fails at everything!" She snickered.

I looked at her scornfully. How dare she say that. It's not like he is the only one. And doesn't she know that people have feeling?

My hair whipped slowly around my face as I shook my head. "You're wrong Sakura. Naruto only fails at listening. He succeeds at everything."

It got quiet for a moment. Naruto was actually calm, Sasuke's eyebrows were risen, and Sakura seemed just about to burst.

"Excuse me?"

"You know I'm right Sakura. He never fails to actually try, which is something you hardly do, he always keeps to some sort of bright side, he gets serious the more determined he gets, which you can tell now, and he always tries to do better. I've watched you all secretly while you were in the ninja academy, I saw you all walk home and train. My parents didn't allow me to be a part of anything including fighting so I observed those my age who did. And all through the ninja academy, Naruto was the one who tried the hardest out of you three."

Sakura hung her head in defeat. He pink hair fell scattered in front of her green eyes that held shame. "I-I never thought of him that way." She spoke low, at almost a whisper. I nodded and looked away from her to the sky, which was now turning darker because of the big fluffy cirrus clouds that drifted along it and blocked the sunlight. My first reaction when I looked up was to throw a hand over my eyes but I couldn't do that, so I just closed my eyes and breathed in. A light breeze swirled around me, waving my golden hair like grass. But small moments like that don't last long.

Naruto groaned silently as his stomach once again, growled. My eyes shot open while I was still facing the sky.

"Ah!" I should've kept them closed, that sun hurts. My eyes sealed shut.

"So Sakura, would you please forget about getting caught and feed him a rice ball?" I heard Sakura sigh. Then I looked down at the forest, watching to see if Kakashi was spying, which he probably was.

Sakura glance up at Sasuke with questioning eyes. Sasuke had a thoughtful expression plastered onto his face and his eyebrows were tightly furrowed, the corners of his lips were pulled into more than his usual frown. Then his eyes shifted from his nearly finished lunch to Naruto, me, and finally Sakura. His dark eyes leaked no emotion and his voice was a low monotone.

"Go ahead Sakura, he needs his strength.


End file.
